Rats are prey animals so anything coming from above they treat as a predator, so your hand picking them up will scare them. Try putting your hand flat in the cage and allowing them to come to you, allow them to explore your hand and climb onto it.
Another way is to open the cage door and allow them to come out when they are ready, they are naturally inquisitive but will keep going in and out of the cage as they know it to be safe.
Make sure you have washed your hands before handling them especially if you have other pets such as dogs or cats as they will be able smell them and naturally be wary.
Talk to them gently and eventually they will regognise your voice and respond to you.
It just takes time and patients allowing the rat to get to know you and trust you.

-In regards to Pets at home. Suppliers are inspected on a regular basis making sure they fulfill the 5 freedoms laid down in the animal welfare act 2006:
- freedom from hunger and thirst
- freedom from discomfort
- freedom from pain, injury or disease
- freedom to express normal behaviour
-freedom from fear and distress.
Look them up - www.fawc.org.uk/freedoms

-They also help to re-home unwanted pets to good homes and raise money for animal charities.
-They try to minimise distance animals travel from breeder to store
Employees must undergo full training before being able to sell pets, they ask questions to prospect buyers making sure the animal will get all they need for a happy life making them aware of the commitment they are taking on.
-Most of the employees are animal lovers & do their best to provide good care to the pets in store, giving them as much time as is possible.
-PAH have high standards for keeping animals, giving them toys and also giving them hay in the morning, complete food a few hours later and veg in the afternoon simulating natural feeding instincts, unlike other retailers and care about where the animals are going including fish.
A lot happens behind the scenes that the public don't see.

You really should get all the facts before accusing people of mistreating animals. It's to easy to jump to conclusions without researching the facts first.